Liberty - What Binds You

All of us are bound, even if only into the process of living and dying. Most of us have a whole heap of other bindings as well, from job contracts, to ringing our mother once a week, to watering the garden, returning our library books on time, and paying tax. We may also have more joyful obligations, such as to a community, tradition, practice, or beloveds. At this Pearl point of Liberty we are invited to examine our personal lives closely, to find out what binds us, and what sets us free.

Boundaries and what binds us appear to be the opposite of liberty. We often perceive boundaries and bindings as placed on us by external forces - the state, our job, family or relationship, or social convention. But some bindings and boundaries are our own - commitments we've made that ring deeply true to us, boundaries protecting ourselves or our beloveds, bindings to a spiritual tradition, relationship, or way of being. When we examine what these bindings actually are - assessing or reassessing them - and recognising their impact on us we get an opportunity to free ourselves from outdated, inappropriate, or exploitative bindings, while still showing up to those commitments, agreements or obligations that have meaning and worth to us.

This process is in two parts, What Binds You, directly below, and an optional Ritual of Unbinding to follow. It is recommended to leave a space of time between parts one and two, for example a week. This way we get a chance, having articulated the bonds, to sit with them and feel into them, before choosing what and how we will release.

You will need: Journal and pen. A quiet, undisturbed space
Time: 40 minutes

Begin by offering an acknowledgement of sacred land. Ground and centre yourself.

Listing the bindings

• Begin with the outermost levels of what binds you - the laws of the universe, and those of local time and space. Acknowledge the impact these have upon you - how you are entirely held within them, and start your list of bindings with a recognition of this.
• Move a step closer to you - the laws of your country which bind you. You can either list specific laws you feel bound by, or find a general statement that summarises how you are bound by these laws.
• You might want to consider how you are bound by the demographics you are categorised by, including: age, race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, able- bodiness, education, and income.
• Reflect on how you are bound by your current organisations and activities, for example: your job, community, volunteer work, leisure activities. You may coach a sports team, have signed a contract for your work, be halfway through a degree, be managing a family and household, or be the treasurer for a community organisation.
• What else binds you within the world? For example: a financial loan, a lease, contracts with clients, customers, or suppliers.
• What immediate relationships bind you? These might be joyfully held bonds, and not perceived as restricting in any way - most of us have agreements, spoken or unspoken, with lovers, partners, children, parents, friends, and pets.
• You may also have chosen bonds with one or more spiritual traditions, deities, covens or other groups. You may have practices you are committed to do each day, week, month or year.
• Consider what binds you internally, including:
  • Family patterns and traits you enact
  • Limitations you place on yourself
  • Expectations you place on yourself
  • Values and ethics
  • Fears
  • Habits
  • Anything else you can think of

This will be a long list. As we often like to pretend we are quite free, it may be daunting, confronting, or even seem absurd to you. Not all bonds are imposed on us - as we can see from our lists, many we have chosen ourselves, and even delight in the richness, joy, meaning, and love they bring into our lives.

Over the next few days lean into your awareness of these bonds and bindings. You might like to discuss them with a friend, partner, or someone else. If you wish, you can create a Ritual of Unbinding for yourself - there's also one described in Magic of the Pearl Pentacle.